Ashes of Truth
by HeartbrokenMisadventure
Summary: What if Nathaniel hadn't died, but barely escaped? What if, a few months later, he'd hired a vampire to summon his old friend Bartimaeus to help cure his mysterious illness? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Note: This takes place after Ptolemy's Gate, so it will, and does contain spoilers.

Note 2: For my Alex Rider readers: good news! I am half-way through the next chapter, so expect it soon!

Background:

The rules for summoning are different for vampires. The djinni is not _forced_ to obey. He is also able to move freely in and out of the pentacle. It in no way tires out either party.

The magicians thought the vampires using magic was dangerous, so they banished them, both from the cities and from using magic. The punishment for breaking either was death. After several centuries, the vampires were forgotten, the younger generation of magicians were taught nothing of them, and considered them myths.

_Rochelle_

I sunk my teeth into the girls neck, feeding for the fifth time that week. Normally I wouldn't need to feed so often- once or twice a week was more then enough for vampires. But, as djinni severely disliked my kind, I wanted to be at my full strength to fight.

There was also the matter of the legality of what I was about to do. I was promised I wouldn't get caught, but the word of a magician means nothing. I wanted to be able to run if things went badly.

I dropped the body onto the dirty pavement, feeling little guilt. Killing was the fast, easy way to gain strength. Again, killing wasn't necessary, but it was common enough that I thought little about it. The high-ruling, picky family wouldn't even blink an eye about it. Actually, I thought, it may actually help my standing, as it was a magician's apprentice I'd killed, should I get caught.

I had been given a flat for my services. Although London was not one of my favorite places, I was not the type to turn down a free apartment, even if it was small for my taste. A flat, a $30,000 advancement, and a promise that I would not get caught was my payment for raising a djinni for an unmentionable reason-hence my reason for agreeing. I say "unmentionable" because I'd asked the magician why he'd hired me- a loathsome vampire- to raise this thing when he could have done it himself. Or had another magician do it. He hadn't answered.

My cell phone rang, startling me. "Tonight." He said, not bothering with a hello. "Tonight at midnight. I'll be over in a few hours with the equipment."

"Now, wait a minuet, Nathaniel." I snarled angrily. "I want some answers before I put my life on the line for you."

He sighed in frustration. We'd had this argument before- I'd threaten to not do this and he'd threaten to tell the council. "Fine." He conceded through gritted teeth. "Fine. As long as I get what I want, you shall get what you want."

Time has no meaning for my kind. A minuet, an hour, a day, all seems to same. To me, it was like I'd just gotten off the phone with the crazy magician when he showed up at my door.

He bustled in like he'd paid for the place or something. Actually he had, but he'd given it to me and I felt very violated by his not knocking.

"You know," I said, watching him run around from my perch on the leather sofa, "You really need to work on your manners."

He turned to face me. I was surprised to find he wasn't dressed like a magician. No fancy clothes, or robes. He was dressed like a commoner, and a poor one at that. Very poor. "You complain a lot for a vampire. Aren't you lot supposed to be the strong silent types?" He ignored my glare. I, and every other vampire, hated stereotypes.

"You said you wanted answers. Answers to what?"

"Why me?" I asked. "Why a vampire at all? You could do this yourself, or have another magician do this with much less trouble. Why pick me?"

"The magician's think I'm dead. I can't go to them: there would be far too many questions that I cannot answer.

"As for why I picked you . . . The djinni I plan on you summoning will be staying for a while. You won't get worn out but this and neither will he. That wouldn't be the case if I'd hired a magician. He will also be able to cross the pentacle, which is what I need."

"Those are the only reasons?" I asked. I knew he was keeping something from me, he was purposely blocking his thoughts. "Why not do this yourself, or is he too great for your power?"

He hesitated. "My powers aren't working. I can't do even simple, small spells without something going wrong. That's why I need to speak to this djinni."

I threw a bolt of power at him, reaching into his mind. He was telling the truth, but there was still something he was keeping from me.

"Very well. What lowlydjinni am I ssummoning"

"His name is Bartimaeus."

I laughed. "You weren't a very well-educated magician, were you Nathaniel?"

He stared at me, black faced. But a tiny spark of amusement glittered in his eyes. "And what makes you say that, Rochelle?"

I was still chuckling, not focused on his thoughts. "Because Bartimaeus is a very powerful and very ancient djinni. He wouldn't help you."

"Too powerful for you to summon?" He inquired.

I snorted. "Hardly. But as I have no clue how to fix your . . . problem, I can't make him fix it."

He stared at me for a long time. "Don't worry about that," He said, turning away and grabbing a piece of paper. "You just worry about getting him here."

I shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't complain to me when you don't get what you're looking for."


	2. Chapter 2

Magic is an essential part of a vampires make-up. It's what keeps us alive, even when our hearts don't beat. It's what gives us our powers, strength, immortality, and speed. So, summoning a djinni, even one as powerful as Bartimaeus, was nothing.

Djinni can sense when a vampire calls them. Instead of trying to scare us, like they do for the magicians, they usually just try and kill us. Bartimaeus was no exception.

A young man appeared in the other pentacle. He was skinny, pale and familiar. . . I was torn away from pondering this form when I realized he was holding a stake. I glared. The only way to kill a vampire was to cut out it's heart. Humans, having found this out, spread the news around. Somehow, "cut out the heart" turned into "stab it in the heart with a piece of wood."

He lunged at me, and I realized at the last second whose form he had taken. "Nathaniel?" I asked, incredulously.

He stopped suddenly. His dark eyes narrowed and he raised the stake even higher. "How the hell do you know Nathaniel?" He demanded.

I whirled around. The magician was hidden in the shadows. The djinni either couldn't see or wasn't looking, but to me, there was no darkness. I found him immediately.

"What is going on? This djinni's seen you before?" As a general rule, magicians never summoned the same demon twice after dismissing him. To risky.

He hesitated, clasping his hands together. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, allowing his hands to fall away.

"Yes." He said, locking eyes with Bartimaeus. "I've summoned him before."

Bartimaeus' eyes were wide, his mouth open. "What? Nate? Wha. . . ? How? When? How?"

I was beyond confused now. Magicians hated demons. They treated them like slaves, and I'd assumed Nathanial was no different. But Bartimaeus didn't seem angry to see his old master. And there was the matter of wearing his form . . .

"I didn't die." Nathaniel said quietly. "I came close, but not quite. I lost my powers and went into hiding."

Bartimaeus still seemed stunned. "What happened? There's no way you crawled away before the building collapsed."

The magician smiled grimly. "Two beams fell at just the right angle. They still crushed me, but they kept the rest of the building from falling on me."

The djinni shook his head. "Only you. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After everything that's happened, I'm, starting to think you're immortal." He smiled gently, then his eyes grew thoughtful. "How long has it been?"

"About two years."

He grinned recklessly. "And you lost your powers? That's why the vampire's here, right? You hired her to summon me?"

He nodded and Bartimaeus stepped out of the pentacle. He strode over to the magician, smiling pleasantly. When he reached him, he drew back his fist and clocked Nathaniel straight in the jaw.

"That," he said cheerfully, "is for making me think you were dead for two years. Which, by the way, is a lot longer on my home plane." He scowled and his from shifted into that of a pretty blond girl. "And I suppose Kitty doesn't know about this either. She summons me routinely, you know. For a while, she was convinced you made it out. We fought about it a lot." He scowled.

"She going to be impossible to live with once she find out about this, you know that?"

Nathaniel propped himself up on his elbows. "I couldn't tell her. I didn't survive by luck, Bartimaeus. Someone saved me."

"Like always." The girl sighed. "So you summoned me to help you find this mysterious magician. Just like old times. How nostalgic."

Nathaniel glared at the girl. "No. Kitty is going to help me find him. You are going to be the liaison between her and I, as I can't go to her directly."

The djinni sighed exasperatedly. "_That's_ what you called me for? To be to telephone between you and your girlfriend?"

The magician rolled his eyes. "That's not the only reason. I've lost my powers. . . "

"And you want protection."

"No! Well, yes, I do. But I want you to help me figure this out. I don't know how or why this happened, or how to fix it. I don't even know where to start looking."

Bartimaeus/girl scowled. "And the vampire?" He inquired venomously.

"She's needed to keep you here. I can't and if Kitty did, you'd both be beyond exhausted, and of no use to me."

"That's the only reason? I know you better than that, Nate."

Nathaniel glared across the room. I don't know why he was keeping this a big secret. I'd already heard his thoughts, heard his reasons. He knew it. So he should have just come out and said it- said that he was attracted to me, that he loved using me to get back at the magicians. But life has a funny way of working out. Looking back, I'm glad he didn't acknowledge those thoughts out loud. Had he done so, things might have turned out a lot worse.

"You should go." Nathaniel said to the djini. "If you hurry, you might catch her alone. And remember; be careful what you say!"

Bartimaeus huffed indignantly. "You'd think I'm always careless, the way you talk."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "I just want to be careful. We know absolutely nothing about this magician. He could be friend or foe. He could be dangerous."

Bartimaeus laughed. "It may have escaped your notice, Natey-boy," he said in between chuckles, "but "dangerous" and "foe" are pretty much one in the same. But, nonetheless, I'll help you. Not only because, if I don't you'll really get yourself killed, but also because I've missed your master-ship oh-so-much. This makes me feel like my life is complete again."

Before Nathaniel could make a come-back, Bartimaeus disappeared in a puff of smoke. Nathaniel turned toward the shadows, finally acknowledging my presence.

"You've done what I asked." He said formally. "If you want, you could be done. You don't need to be around me for Bartimaeus to be around me. You can leave."

He didn't want me to go, but he knew he couldn't make me stay. He also didn't think it was possible to me to like him back, so he had prepared a bribe for me. Not that I was going to say no in the first place.

Vampires are taught to hate magicians from re-birth. They are the reason we must hide in the shadows, the reason we are feared and hunted. Nathaniel was different. He hated his government almost as deeply as we vampires do. He also didn't have the whole mind set the rest of his horrible people did. Although vampires and djinni rarely got along (ok, never, is a better word), you had to respect a magician who could, not only get a powerful djinni to do his bidding happily, but also to have on upset, and even miss him when he thought he was dead.

He was cute, too. I mean, he had nothing on male vampires, but as far as humans went, he wasn't bad looking.

"But," I asked, drawing my thoughts back to his newest assignment for me, "You have more money for me if I stay?" I'd hoped he'd figure out soon that money wasn't my only reason for staying.

"Yes. If you stay and protect me for the duration of this little scheme, I'll pay you one million dollars."

I laughed. Loudly, I might add. After all, I hadn't seen that coming. "You still haven't paid me for the summoning. How are you going to pay me that much?"

He instantly pulled out a huge wad of bills from his pocket. Using only hundreds, he counted out the two thousand he owed me. When he was done, he'd barely made a dent in the cash.

"Trust me," He said calmly, pocketing the money, "when I say that money is no problem."

I stared, vaguely wondering how someone in hiding for two years could get _that_ much cash. Then again, vampires could get more quickly, and most of us have been dead for more then two years. I rolled my eyes. "I'll make a deal with you. If you come clean about why you really want me here, I'll stay. No money. You know I've already heard you thinking it, so it should be no problem saying it out loud."

He grimaced and instantly blocked his thoughts. "Maybe later." I knew that was all I would get out of him, so I let it go. For now.


	3. Chapter 3

Bartimaeus' P.O.V

**Kitty was in her apartment, facing off with some large magician I've never seen. They were toe-to-toe and it was then that I realized something monumental about Kitty: she was short. I know, shocked me too. She was also foolish. The magician she was yelling at oozed power. So much, it caused the tiny hairs on my fly legs to twitch uncomfortably.**

"**You're foolish!" The man snapped. I almost laughed. "You're still new to this whole magician lifestyle," he waved a hand dismissively around the apartment, "but I'd hoped that even **_**you**_** could have seen the logic in this."**

**Kitty glared at him. "Get out!" She ordered in a voice like ice. I had a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't their first fight.**

**The man glared back. "Fine. But this conversation is far from over." He turned on his heel, and stormed-- almost literally-- out of the room, slamming the door behind him.**

**Nathaniel had warned that the unknown magician that had saved him might be dangerous. At the time, I'd thought him being paranoid, but after watching this particular magician, I was beginning to think that Natey-boy had grossly under-exaggerated.**

**I quickly switched forms, debating on using Ptolemy's. I decided against it. Nathaniel was right--we needed to be careful. Nathaniel's was the form I used when visiting Kitty, his was the form I would take now. It would arouse less suspicion to any on-lookers.**

**I figured Kitty would guess the truth, that Nathaniel was alive- when I showed up at her place without her summoning me. I expected her to be surprised and happy, to instantly want to go to her long-lost friend. She didn't, however.**

"**Hello, Bartimaeus." She said resignedly.**

**Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. "Oh." I huffed. "Oh, you did this! You and that magician that was just here. You two saved him!"**

**Kitty, if possible, looked more tired at this than before. "No. I didn't. I didn't even know about it until last week. The magician that was just here, Christian Melohov, he saved Nathaniel."**

"**Why? I've never heard of him, so I doubt Nathaniel did either."**

"**He thinks the government needs to be re-done, that it needs new leaders. He was delighted to hear of the demise of all those high-powered, power hungry magicians. He saved Nathaniel because he thought Nathaniel would make a great Prime Minister."**

**I laughed humorlessly. "Oh, Kitty. I'd forgotten how young you were. I'd also forgotten how **_**stupid**_** girl act when they are in love."**

**I left instantly, leaving her with a confused and hurt look on her face. I didn't really care; I was too angry to want to be near her any longer.**

**I'd faced Nathaniel's wrath several times since meeting the creative, vindictive little magician. He'd changed since then, and I felt fairly certain he wouldn't punish me for failing in my charge. Even if he hadn't, or even if he did punish me, I was to angry to really fear him.**

**Rochelle**

I watched Nathaniel pace in front of the fire. He was worried. Bartimaeus and Kitty should have been here by now. His thoughts shifted suddenly, turning back toward this mysterious magician. He'd originally thought it was someone he'd known, but he'd thrown that theory out the window. If it was someone he knew, he reasoned, that someone would have shown themselves, either to kill him or to make sure he'd survived.

I found his mind fascinating. He didn't really think like a magician; he was definitely more educated than most. However, he still didn't know what I did.

"Nathaniel," I began, drawing him away from his ponderings. "You know I can read your thoughts and I can tell you right now that the magician who saved you is not someone you know. Firstly, because most of the magicians you knew are dead. Secondly, all of them were weak. This particular magician is strong. Very strong."

"What do you mean? What do you mean most of the magicians I knew are dead?"

"They were killed. I assumed you knew, but if you've been in hiding for two years, I guess you wouldn't have heard. Every magician in your government has been killed in random accidents."

"No." He whispered, shocked. "There as to be some left. Every magician in existence, besides whoever saved me, can't be killed."

"Oh." I said. "No, not every magician was killed. Just the high-ranking ones. They've all been replaced by nobodies."

His shocked look deepened, and he said nothing for a long while. "I hated them." He said at last. "Especially recently. They were weak, cowards who hide behind demon energy and cared for nothing other than their own gain." He paused. "But I don't like the thought of them being killed. To me, it rings too much of conspiracy."

We said nothing after that and I quickly became bored. My kind's minds need to be constantly moving. We have an eye for detail and after two minutes of being bored, my senses reached out, studying my surroundings.

I suppose my apartment was large. Not nearly as large as my mansion in Russia, or my ranch in California, but it was comfortable. There weren't too many accommodations-- an over stuffed couch, a king sized bed, and a Jacuzzi bathtub in the bathroom. There was no food, no refrigerator full of blood.

I could hear Nathaniel's heart beat and the crackling of the fire. The heat was actually making me uncomfortably warm. Much like reptiles, heat slows our bodies. We get sleepy in the heat and this heat was stifling. I was also hungry and Nathaniel's scent was appetizing. I deliberated about taking a bite, but decided against it. I don't think he'd ever fess up, or give me my million dollars if I ate him. Far off, I could smell sulfur. Bartimaeus was on his way.

He appeared quite suddenly, still in Nathaniel's form, looking murderous. He pointed a finger at his master and thundered, "This whole thing is your fault!"

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow, seeming unconcerned about the outburst. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Where's Kitty?"

"That's what I'm talking about!" The djinni barked. "Kitty has gone off the deep-end. She's gotten herself into dark politics. All because she likes you! Because she's your friend! Because she's an idiot and easily manipulated.

"I guess I can't really blame her." He went on. "It's human nature. To like, to love, to want to fit in and be liked and loved back. But I thought she was stronger and smarter than that! I thought she'd see the changes in you," he nodded angrily at his counterpart, "and see the light in humanity. But no. Because you had to go play the hero and try and get yourself killed, she went over to the dark side."

"The dark side? What are you talking about?" I demanded. I wasn't mad about him yelling at Nathaniel, I actually enjoyed that. However, it was my nature to believe there was no true human nature. Him prattling on about how there was, pissed me off.

"Kitty's involved with the magician that saved Nathaniel. This guy is crazy and strong and he wants his friends in power. He also wants Nathaniel to become the new Rupert Devereaux."

"This man," Nathaniel asked curiously. He seemed surprised that someone wanted him to be the next Prime Minister. He'd thought that the other magicians, high-ranking and not, hated his ideals. "What did he look like? Did you get a name?"

"Christian Melohav. He's tall, almost as pale as you, skinnier than you. Nice clothes, so I'm guessing rich. Late twenties. Deep voice, dark eyes, dark hair. Powerful. I mean, _powerful._"

Nathaniel frowned. "He doesn't sound at all familiar, with the exception of his surname. His master couldn't have been very high-up, or powerful."

"He could have been." I cut in. "But it's not like we can tell now, all those magicians are dead."

"Not necessarily," Nathaniel waved a hand dismissively about his master. "My master wasn't strong or high-raking at all."

"It's true." Bartimaeus said solemnly. "His master was a weak idiot."

That surprised me. I assumed that a principal would only be as strong as his master. Nathaniel paused reflectively, then turned to me. "You said the magicians died in accidents?" I nodded. "What kind of accidents?"

"Um . . . Car accidents, mostly. A couple summonings went wrong."

He nodded and Bartimaeus eyes him warily. "I hate that look, you know."

"What look?"

"_That _look. The look that says you're hatching something diabolical."

"I figured out what happened." Nathaniel snapped. "This Christian bloke killed the magicians, those were no accidents."

"Nathaniel-"

"Christian wanted the government re-done. So, he killed the ruling magicians, and threw his people in their place. Friends he thought would do a better job than those aristocratic idiots."

"How does Kitty fit into all this?" Bartimaeus asked in a puzzled tone. "I mean, I know she's human, but I thought she was smarter than this! Her little Resistance didn't work, why join another group with the same motive?"

"Probably-" Nathaniel began.

"And _another_ thing!" Bartimaeus interrupted. "She used to be a commoner, ruled by magicians. Now she is one. I could see not wanting magicians to rule, but how is helping them achieving her goal?"

I raised an eyebrow irritably. "You went and talked to her and you didn't ask her any of these things?"

He glowered at me. "No, actually. We fought and I left. I didn't really think to stick around and interrogate her."

Nathaniel stepped forward. "Look, it doesn't really matter. I'll go to Kitty myself and ask her. Now, I didn't plan on something like this happening, so there's really nothing anyone can do right now. You two," he gestured at Bartimaeus and me, "go take a break."

"May I master?" Bartimaeus snapped.

"Go." Nathaniel all but yelled the word as he grabbed his coat and headed for the door.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't know what possessed me to follow Nathaniel. Maybe it was the fact that the boy could find trouble in a padded cell, and it was usually I that had to save him1. It could be that I loved my new freedom and wanted to watch out for the pest. After all, he could have had the vampire order me to obey the rules of a human summoning, but he didn't. Instead, he had let me run free. I had to respect that. It rang with a semblance of trust; something two people had ever giving me2.

Regardless of why, I followed him. He walked down the crowded street, head bowed to the oncoming pedestrians. One would think he was trying not to be recognized, but if what the vampire had said was true, he had no reason to worry. Besides, after two years of being thought dead, no one would see him3.

The apartment building he approached looked just like Kitty, and I found myself unsurprised that he would go to her so quickly. Nathaniel was a person who needed to find things out first hand4, and since Kitty was an interlaced part of this fiasco, it made sense that he'd go now. The fact that he liked her and hadn't seen her in two years probably played an important role too.

I'd been flying as a crow, but quickly switched form when entered the building. A dog would attract less attention, I thought to myself, and I'd be able to hear well.

Nathaniel walked straight down the corridor, leaving the door open just enough for me to squeeze through. I watched him, momentarily confused. Kitty's room was on the second floor. It was possible that the boy simply didn't know that, and he was going to the super's office to find her. I glanced over. No. The super's office was right next to the door. Nathaniel had bypassed the stairs, elevator, and super's office.

He knocked once on the old door and a woman answered. One who was certainly not Kitty6. Where the hell had he taken us?

"Oh!" The old woman exclaimed upon seeing Nathaniel. "Mr. Mandrake? What? How?"

"That's what I came to ask you, incidentally. May I come in?" Nathaniel sounded perfectly polite and calm, but I knew him well enough to hear the tense undertone and the unsaid accusations in his voice.

"Yes. Yes, of course." The woman seemed flustered, but that was understandable. A dead man had showed up on her doorstep, after all.

They walked in and I ran to the door7. Their voices were muffled by the heavy wood, but not enough that my sensitive dog ears couldn't make out what they were saying.

"You seem surprised to see me, Kira8." Nathaniel said, still in that falsely polite tone.

"John! How could I not be? Everyone thought you dead! We saw the building and we tried to find your body . . . we couldn't so we just assumed Nouda… Well." I could hear the nervousness and excitement in her voice. "Obviously we were wrong. You're a strong little magician, Mr. Mandrake."

There was a rustling sound. "The fact that I am alive, Kira, has nothing to do with my strength. Someone saved me."

"Oh." She sounded slightly disappointed. "Well, there's no shame in that, my dear. I saw that building. You should be thankful someone got you out."

Nathaniel clicked his tongue impatiently. "Believe me; I'm not at all upset about the fact that I'm alive. I'm merely concerned with the reason I was saved. I don't believe it was the right reason."

"Well," She hesitated, obviously confused as to why he was here. "That's something you're going to have to take up with that magician then. If you can't find him, you could always summon that djinni you've always got working for you. What's his name?" She snapped her fingers and I felt proud that the old woman remembered my name, even though she'd never met me. "Barticleus9!"

"Bartimaeus." Nathaniel corrected absently. "And I don't need his help to find out who saved me. I already know who did it."

The old woman inhaled sharply and I wrinkled my nose in confusion. This wasn't the _man_ who had saved the stupid boy. "Mr. Mandrake!" Kira stuttered. "You can't think . . . You can't possibly be saying . . . I-"

"No." Nathaniel snapped angrily. I was more confused now than ever—why was he mad at her? She'd had no part in his rescue. "I'm not accusing you of saving me. I am accusing you of harboring the man who did. You know who did this Madam, as he shares your surname!"

Silence. I could hear fidgeting, but I didn't need to look to know it was Nathaniel10.

"Mr. Mandrake," Kira said softly, "I know nothing of what you are speaking. Until five minutes ago, I believed you to be dead. It is possible someone in my family saved you, but I can assure you, they said nothing to me if they have."

"But you're not denying that someone in your family would have a reason to try to save me. So you must know who did this and why."

This logic seemed backwards at best and I wasn't surprised there was another long silence. Either Nathaniel already knew that this woman knew Christian, or his brains had gotten scrambled during his rescue.

Nate sighed. "Kira, I'm not accusing you of anything. I just need to know how dangerous he is. He plans on me becoming the next P.M. something I have no interest in becoming11. I need to know how far he plans on taking this."

She sighed. "I know who you're talking about. My grandson, Christian, has always complained about the government. Originally, he made me proud. He had my ambition, and he saw the truth in the magicians. But now he's gotten involved in dark politics and magic. He shames me. I also fear for him. He's gotten so much power . . . I'm afraid of what he's going to turn into, just like every magician in the past. Except you, in the end, Mr. Mandrake, which is why he saved you."

"What?" Nathaniel's big fancy words had apparently failed him. "What do you mean, "In the end"?"

"When you first entered our government, you were as vicious and blood-thirsty as the rest of them, bent on moving higher on the ladder. Thanks to your power and intelligence, you did. Quickly, I might add. But then, you saw the truth 12."

"Maybe I did." He said quietly. "But this isn't the way to fix things."

"No." She agreed. "It's not. I know I've done some crazy things in my youth, but I didn't want _everyone_ killed."

"Is there any way to stop him now?"

"I doubt it." She snorted, but to me it sounded more like a hacking cough. "He's got too much power now. More power, perhaps, than even you, Mr. Mandrake."

Nathaniel cleared his throat uncomfortably. "That is true. For the past several months my powers have been . . . waning. They're completely gone now. I believe it's something Christian's done."

"As far as I know, there's no way to bind a magician's power." She paused reflectively, and then added, "However, I wouldn't put it past him to find a way."

Nathaniel didn't say anything for a while. "Well," he said at length, "Thank you for your time, Kira." He bid her good day, and then left.

I hadn't realized he'd been so close to the door, so when he opened it, it hit me square in the face, stunning me13. Nathaniel looked down at me, and I saw instant recognition light his eyes.

"Bartimaeus!" He snapped. "What are you doing? I told you to take a break."

"I am on break14." I snapped back. "Besides, you didn't summon me, so I don't have to obey you."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "I should have expected this. You never listen to me, even when it is me that summons you."

"Only because you don't know what you're doing."

He glared at me.

"You know," I said airily, "you've changed a lot. Just a decade ago, you would have had me trapped at the bottom of a river in a tin. I'm thankful for that. For the change, I mean."

"You're welcome."

"But you're just as stupid as you were when you were twelve."

"I am not!" He snapped, affronted.

"Oh, you are too! You have no business with Kira. She's dangerous and she's raised a dangerous psycho, so she's obviously not very smart either." I paused. "Not that I really care. You didn't summon me, Rochelle did, because you paid her. If you died, she'd let me go."

"You can go now." Nathaniel pointed out, turning his back on me and walking away. I changed form into Ptolemy.

"You know, if you hadn't been so busy going to everyone else but with this problem with your powers, I could have helped you. Ptolemy had the same problem."

He stopped, and turned back. "Is there a cure, then? I mean, if I'm not being blocked, then this is a disease of some sort. There has to be a cure, or at the very least a treatment. We can't be the only two this has ever happened to."

I grimaced. "I'm not sure. I've never heard of it happening, save you two. I'm not even positive you have the same thing he does. Ptolomy's was caused because he traveled between this realm and the Other Place, but you've never been there. The only way I can figure out is to take you to the Other Place with me."

"How would that help? Wouldn't it make it worse? I do remember what happened to Kitty: that kind of drain would kill me."

"I think this is different. You have all the same symptoms Ptolemey had, except you haven't had severe aging. You were supposed to have died, Nathaniel. And don't tell me I'm wrong, I can feel it. It must have messed with the way you rejuvenate your powers. The effects of the travel should be different: you should be healed by it."

Nathaniel swallowed thickly. "The only way the Other Place would heal me," he said slowly, "was if my essence was that of a djinni, which it's not, don't even say it!. So going to the Other Place would kill me. I'm not going just because you say, "maybe it won't.""

I shook my head, both in shock and disgust. "Why is it you trust me enough to let me run loose, but not enough to go there with me?"

He glared at me, turning slightly red. "I didn't have a choice. You already knew my birth name 15 and you already know the whole story. It simply made things easier to call you. I needed a vampire to do the summoning, and the whole "running lose," came with that. It had nothing to do with trust." He spat, storming away.

Really, truly, I didn't believe him. After everything we'd been through, there was no way he didn't trust me. I sighed. Nathaniel may have come along way over the years, but his stubbornness hadn't changed at all. Maybe, it never would.

I let go of myself, drifting home. I wanted away from Earth, even for a little while. Nathaniel would, eventually, calm down and, by his request, the blood-sucker would call me back. But, for now, I wanted to go home.

**Rochelle**

London was NOT my favorite city. Not even close. Actually, Britain in general was a country I despised. Everything was grey, washed out, and bland. It was all square shapes with hard angles, filled to the brim with dull people with hard faces. It had none of the colors of my Russia, or the vibrancy of America. Here, I felt like a cages tigress. I was bored and angry and if Nathaniel didn't grow a pair and admit his feelings for me, I was leaving. I'd have no reason to stay in this morbidly dull country.

I was not at all focused on my surrounding (something very dangerous for my kind, as we tended to pick off vampires that were a threat to our standing) and, in effect, I ran into my blood-brother.

Siese was taller, and broader then me, so when I hit him, I stumbled back a few feet.

He grinned down at me, revealing his fangs. "Well, well, well." He chuckled darkly, his African accent deepening his voice. "Lookie what I found."

I glared. Siese was older than me, and weaker than me, but I was in no mood to tolerate his games today. "You found me because you were looking for me." I snapped. "What do you want?"

He feigned hurt. "Well, sis, I've heard some vicious rumors about you from the underground." He sniffed sadly. "You know I love you, sis, but I feel, for the good of our people, I need to tell Dimitri what's been going on. We can't have the magicians prying into our affairs again."

Dimitri was our blood-father, our sire. He was impossibly strong, and unbelievably old. He was also in love with our crazy, strict monarch of all the clans. He loved me like a daughter, but even I knew he'd turn me in. For the good of our people.

I snorted, trying to play it cool. "I doubt it would kill you, as you've hated me since the day I was awakened. Of course, if I was in line to inherit my father's seat in Council, and he passed right over me to my younger, stronger sister, I'd be pissed too."

I'd wanted to piss him off, but I was also reminding him that I was stronger, and had the protection of Dimitri. Normally, after receiving this reminder, he'd back off, or make a smart-ass remark and then leave. Today, he hit me.

"You," he snarled, "haven't inherited anything yet! And I am so going to love watching as they rip your heart out." Then, he was gone.

I wandered for a while after that, always keeping an eye out. There was no doubt in my mind that my vicious blood-brother would turn me in. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be found guilty of his accusations and be killed, either. Such was the way of vampire politics. I was stronger than him, stood in line before him, and was running around with a magician and a djinni. He needed me out of the picture to get what was rightfully his, and to protect our people.

My wanderings took me to my apartment. My powers were strong as ever, but emotionally, I felt drained. I wanted a nap, badly. I couldn't even remember the last time I had slept, not that I needed it, really, but fate had other plans in mind. Nathaniel was waiting in my apartment.

He didn't notice me, at first, his thoughts swimming about his fight with Bartimaeus.

"How'd your job go?" I asked, startling him.

"Fine." He answered absently. I could tell he wasn't in the mood to talk. That was fine: I wasn't either.

Instead, I studied him, _really_ studied him. He was mortal, and a magician, and I felt no real feelings for him. I knew his would disappear over time if I left. So, why stay? I asked myself. Why put myself in danger? At first, it was a fun fling, an adventure I thought I could get away with, but play time was over and real life had taken over the board. I didn't need to stay for money-- I could get it easier than Nathaniel. I was beginning to feel that nothing was worth all this trouble. Nothing was worth loosing my hard-won life over.

"Nathaniel-" I began when I felt an angry presence behind me. I whirled around, coming face-to-face with my blood-father.

His face was a mix of hurt and disgust. "I had hoped," he began sadly, "that Siese had been wrong when he'd come to me and told me. I didn't believe him when he showed me-" he broke off painfully. "I'm going to have to tell Cayla."

I'd expected this. I knew that, in time, the matriarch would find out about my misdoings. I also knew that, if I gave a convincing enough story, I could get out of any sort of punishment. Right now I needed time, and for that, I needed to lie.

"Father," I pretended to plea, "please. You do not understand. I tried to explain to Siese, but he would hear nothing of it. So I beg you: hear me out.

"Nathaniel is like no magician I have ever met-- the very fact he lives in my house should attest to that! But it is more than that. Currently, there is a very powerful magician bent on changing the world to his liking, including our own people. I have chosen to help because this horrid magician knows not that I am a vampire, and he believes Nathaniel to be dead. He and I make the perfect team to stop this madman."

I sighed. "But you, and Siese for that matter, are right. I never should have taken up this venture. As I have done nothing more than associate myself with a lowly magician, I suppose I will leave with you know and take the punishment I deserve."

Dimitri stared at me for a long time, then touched the top of me head gently. "If that is truly the case, I will let this go. This boy needs to be stopped and if anyone can do this, it is you, daughter." He smiled. "But, dear daughter of mine, if I ever find out you have lied to me about this, I will take great, personal care in ,making sure you die painfully, and slowly." He kissed me on the cheek. "I love you." He left, as quickly and silently as he'd arrived.

1) Well, except this last escapade.

2) Just two, I'm afraid. Kitty and, of course, Ptolemy.

3) Humans had a tiring knack for only seeing what they wanted to see.

4) Hence, all the dangerous situations.

5) He may trust me, but I don't think he'd be too happy by my following. I wanted to remain inconspicuous, and I think someone would notice a crow.

6) Well, maybe in 70 years. 70 rough years.

7) I can't help it: I love gossip.

8) Ah! I thought I recognized her! Kira had been Devereaux's assistant, soon after he became P.M. She'd been fired when she tried to stab him to death and take his place.

9) At this point, my shoulders sagged and I dearly hoped that Nathaniel wanted this woman eaten at some point.

10) Ever since he was a young boy, he constantly needed to adjust his hair and various articles of hideous clothing.

11) That's a shock: the old Nathaniel probably would have blown up every building in existence to get that job.

12) Grudgingly, I must agree.

13) Hey, even I can do something stupid occasionally.

14) Anything that doesn't involve serious bodily harm to me _is _a break.

15) I huffed. That's always been his excuse for summoning me. After hearing it so many times, it lost it's effect.


	5. Chapter 5

**Rochelle**

I woke from a dreamless sleep, to find Nathaniel standing over me. Startled, I rolled to me feet with a hiss and glared at him.

"I've been thinking." He said tightly.

Obviously not, I thought, if you were watching a vampire sleep. "Me too." I said aloud.

"I want this over with as quickly as possible. Call Bartimaeus: we finish this today." He turned on his heel, and stomped into the living room.

I wondered briefly again at the fight last night, but then let it go. It didn't really matter anyway-- I'd already made up my mind.

The djinni appeared in the middle of the room, looking disgruntled. He glared at Nathaniel. "What do _you_ want?"

"To try out your theory." he answered smoothly, stepping forward. I raised an eyebrow and Nathaniel turned back to look at me. "Bartimaeus thinks that my powers will return if I travel to the Other Place."

"And you've decided to go?" I asked.

He nodded. "Nothing else has worked."

I stared, trying to see if he was kidding. He wasn't. "That," I said slowly, "is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

He ignored me and turned back to the djinni. "What am I going to need?"

"Well," he scratched the back of his neck. He was in a boy's form now, one I didn't recognize. "We'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. Rochelle can't send a human over, even one like you."

Nathaniel again ignored the snide comments. "So I'll need silver. And a pentacle. I believe that's all she used, right."

Bartimaeus nodded, and the two got set to work.

**Bartimaeus**

We were ready in ten minutes. Nathaniel sat cross-legged in the middle of the pentacle, meditating. He opened one eye and looked up at the blood-sucker.

"Rochelle, send him home."

I didn't even wait for her to dismiss me, I just let myself go. And I was home.

I don't know how long it took Nathaniel to cross over. But suddenly, he was there, his presence barely causing a ripple. I smirked to myself. I'd been right all along.

_Hmm. _I murmured at the blob of jelly in front of me. _It seems I was right. How do you feel?_

_Awkward._ He said uncomfortably. _But I feel stronger. Stronger than I have in weeks. Um…how do I get a body?'_

I sighed. That was always the first question they asked. _Concentration, mostly._

_How long will I need to stay? _He asked after an awkward silence.

I shrugged. _That's up to you. You in a hurry to go somewhere?_

He glared at me. He still didn't look normal—not even close—but he was closer than anyone else ever got.

_I just want this business with Christian finished. _He growled.

I cocked my head to the left. _If you feel you're ready, we can leave now__2__._

He nodded, and then hesitated. _How long have I been here?_

I shrugged again. _I don't really know, there isn't such thing as time here. But if you trust my judgment enough to come here, you can trust me when I say your body will be normal when you return to it._

He didn't say anything for a while, just looked around slowly, taking everything in. _This feels like home._ He said quietly.

I nodded. _Because, for you, your essence is home. _He didn't say anything again. _But you're right, we should get back. All you have to do is . . .push away._

He stared at me, uncomfortable. Nathaniel was raised to believe that we djinni were below magicians and, so, he'd never treated us with anything other than disdain. But after being with my for so many years, and all his encounters, he'd come to realize the lies. After today he'd come to think of us—of me—with respect and even affection. He would never be Ptolemy, but he was Nathaniel, and that was good enough.

I looked up and he was gone. I left too.

Nathaniel was on his feet. There was a spring in his step and color in his cheeks. He grinned over at me, now a sleek black panther.

"I can feel the power just . . .RUSHING through my veins! It's like that time we merged, Bartimaeus!"

I beamed. Not only had I been right about his powers, I'd been right about his body too.

His grin faded into a scowl. He knew what I was thinking. "Don't say anything. Not one word." He warned me. Then, he cleared his throat, and turned toward the vile blood sucker. "I have a plan."

"Do you?" She asked airily. To me, she looked bored.

Nathaniel frowned at her. No doubt he was expecting her to be impressed. "Yes. Now that I'm strong again, we have a much better chance of defeating Christian. So, we go to Kitty's."

She raised an eyebrow curiously, but didn't say anything.

Nathaniel shifted uncomfortably. "Alright . . .Well, let's head out."

Mostly at his order, but also because I could sense his infatuation with the immortal. It made my stomach turn.

I couldn't use any snappy come-backs: it meant a lot that he'd come.

I don't know what he was looking at—I hadn't given him a back drop like I had for Kitty. The only thing he should have seen was a sheet of white.

Metaphorically speaking, of course. The only colors Nathaniel ever had was white, whiter, and, occasionally, red.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: So, this story didn't go at all like I planned, and it didn't get a whole lot of attention, so I'm gonna finish it, and post the last chapters on the same day.

__________

**Rochelle**

I was bored. Nathaniel, I realized, was not ever going to admit his feelings for me. Not that it really mattered: our relationship would not have lasted long.

The girl, Kitty, whom I now recognized as the blond girl Bartimaeus had been, did not seem at all surprised to see us crowding her doorway.

Nathaniel stepped past me, into the foyer. "I'm sorry to barge in like this, Kitty, but I really need some answers." She simply looked at him, not saying anything. His face, which was detachedly polite, twisted into a glare. "Why are you with Christian? Why did you save me?"

"Because he's right. The old magicians were leading us down the wrong path: they were all power-hungry beasts, who cared nothing of the commoners or the lower-level magicians. I told him of Mandrake and of what he believed in. He thought you were strong and would make a great Prime Minister. Originally he was going to kill everyone and just let you get promoted there, but then the Nadua incident happened. It gave him a great opportunity."

Bartimaeus laughed angrily. "Oh, yes, Kitty. John Mandrake _certainly _shared your beliefs." Kitty eyed the dark-skinned boy warily. "You don't know Mandrake. The _real_ Mandrake. The man you thought was already a tempered mix between the two. You know how I know? Mandrake would have been on the top of your hit list."

Nathaniel grunted. "It's true. I'm not Mandrake—he and I never shared the same beliefs." He paused and caught Kitty's eye. "Kitty—"

"Well, well, well." Said a new voice from off to the side. "Look who's here." The man, who I could only assume to be Christian, smiled pleasantly at Nathaniel. "I was just to about to go look for you. What are you doing here?"

Nathaniel smiled just as politely, and just as fake. "I've come to decline your offer of Prime Minister."

I expected Christian to yell, fight, something. Instead, he laughed. "You have to, Natey-boy. If you don't, I, or one of my associates with fill the position. I assume you don't want that." He chuckled again. "Unless you just don't want that particular position, in which case, we'd be more than happy to accommodate to your wishes."

"Damn." Bartimaeus said calmly. "He's right. If you don't take this, someone much worse will." He sighed dramatically. "Well, Nate, I guess all your dreams have come true, eh?"

Nathaniel stared at Christian, stony faced. "No." He said, just as calmly as Bartimaeus. "John Mandrake's dream was to become Prime Minister, not Nathaniel. John Mandrake is long dead."

"Shit," Christian swore. "I should have just let you die."

"Yes." Nathaniel said, still in that calm voice. "You should have."

"Not a problem. I've got plenty of people to take your spot." He sneered at the pale boy. "And some mistakes are easily fixed." He clapped his hands together, and a flame erupted between his clenched fists.

I swore and mindlessly launched myself at him, but he was either too quick, or he saw me coming, because no sooner was I on him, he threw the fireball, hitting me in the stomach and knocking me off him. I cried out, more startled than hurt. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bartimaeus place himself between Nathaniel and the crazed magician. I saw another fireball fly through the air and hit the djinni square in the chest. His form crumpled, and he collapsed to the ground.

I leapt to my feet, once again launching myself at my attacker. I got lucky this time, and caught him by surprise. We both fell back, and I grabbed him by his throat. He tried to struggle, but I was stronger and quickly overpowered him. My grip tightened and I twisted his head to the side. I felt my fangs lengthen and I bit hard into his neck, causing his to redouble his efforts. After a while, he grew limp.

Nathaniel unglued his feet from the floor and stumbled to his fallen companion. The djinni smiled weakly up at him. Nathaniel choked back a sob and glared up at me.

"Send him home!" He snapped.

I stared at the burn, wondering. "I already tried."

Kitty wandered over, like nothing had happened. Like she had not teamed up with a madman who tried to kill us all "He's not a djinni anymore. Christian hit him with the Flame of Humanity—it turns any living thing it hits into a human."

"Bull!" I snapped without thinking. She looked up at me, face blank. "I got hit, and I'm still a vampire!"

"Any living thing." She repeated. "You're not living, and if you were, you'd be human anyway."

Nathaniel winced. "If that's true, if he's really human now, then he needs to get to a hospital."

Kitty nodded. "My car's in the lot. I'll drive."

I knew this would happen. Hell, I'd wanted it to, but now that Nathaniel was forgetting about me, I suddenly, irrationally, wished he wasn't.

Between them, Kitty (who was inexplicably forgiven by both Nathaniel and Bartimaeus) and Nathaniel maneuvered Bartimaeus out to the car. He was conscious, but I could tell he wouldn't be for long.

"Bartimaeus," Nathaniel asked curiously as they waddled down the stairs and out the door. "Tell me something; why did you step in front of the fireball?"

He smiled weakly and then replied, "I've always done stupid stuff when it comes to you. Remember when I saved you from that burning house?"

They stopped at the car and gently maneuvered the now unconscious Bartimaeus inside. Nathaniel turned to face me and I shook my head, already knowing what he was going to ask. We both knew that I would stay if he would admit . . .and we both knew he couldn't. With Kitty back in the folds and a now human—and mortally injured Bartimaeus—to deal with, he didn't need a vampire in the mix, complicating his life.

"I need to go." I said, going through the motions. He already knew everything I was going to say. "Too many people already know about my involvement with you. If anymore find out, we'll both get killed."

He nodded sadly. "Take care of yourself."

I nodded back. "You too." He climbed into the care, and I shut it behind him. The car started, and I stood there, long after it disappeared.


End file.
